Pool-ball rack



, Oct. 27, 1925.

U.FREEMAN POOL BALL RACK `Filed May vr 1921 ummmz" Patented Oct. 27, 1925.

uru'renx STATES P @FEI-G A Appiicanoama my 7, 1921.

To all wlwmit v may ,concern lle it known that 1l,- jDliyn) FREEMAN, a subject Xof ltheliing: of Greaty Britain, residing i at Chicagoyinthe countywof Cook `andState of Illinois, have invented new and -usegtul Improvements 1n .Pool-B aljlf'acks,

Whichwvillzbe coin. controlled, that? is;-a device which-Will be locked against use except upon the depositof a :coin-oilthe required denomination.-

A` turtlierJ-object/is`:the production of 4a device off. a-pool ball rack 'which Vwill be o1 durable .and economical 4 const ruction and etiicient-in use:l

@therob/jects 'vvilllappear hereinafter.

TheI invention .will be best understood by reference =tothe.' accompanying drawing,` ,in which* Fig. `'l is a v.front elevation of a pool. ball rack lembodyingthe invention,V portions being-brokenaway toieXpose underlying parts;

Fig. 2 is a 'ragmentarytoplplan v i'eW ofdfthcconstruction seen yin"Fig-11;

Fig-g4 is .a view similar to Figl 'showing a -inodilie'dlorin sof eonstruction pand As illustratedfin Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the rack comprisesa body 9 in which are litovided` a plurality' ofA superposed yparalle compartments 10 for the-poolballs A. The bottom 11 of each compartment is provided atv-its front edge'.\vithr aiifupstanding flange so that the spaces 13 above the flanges 12 will be of a Width less than the diameter o1' the balls so as to prevent the removal offthe balls through said spaces 13.l Said spaces are provided so as to: permit of a view of the balls when arranged in the rack as Will be readily understood.

Each compartment 1() is provided at one end with an inlet opening 13 for the passage of the balls in inserting the same into the rack. At the opposite ends of coinparb ments 10 outlet openings 141 are provided for the passage of the balls in being discharged or removed from the rackb The openings 14; yare normally [closed so as to vprevent theV passage of balls theretlirough by a closure or door 1 5 which is hinged'at 16, as clearlyseenfin Fig, 2. The door 15 is `normall' vj locked inclosed position `by means of a bolt 17V Which'inay `be roperated to release the saineonlythroughthe medium of Said Ssiifthl Sa-'me teilig L Qvd' iv'tlif "516t- ,1f9'f1011f the 'insert-'idf @t oii 10i-f pfdtr milled denornination.A

With the boilisriwtoli" @this deScr'bl3-- it Will'be' seen that'aft'er tlieballshave' Aonce been inserted intothe" k, the"lsan`f1el71n`a`y not' be removed. excep iipon'- 'insertion "of" the properfeoin `intothe" s lot"1 9. Whenwthis has been done,- thev A'coin' 'controlled mechanism 18 `Will beoperat'edf-to eifect'yvitlidavval of the bolt 17 thereby"unlockingthedoor 15 so as to permit of 'the' saine being 'swungto open posit1on.-A`sutable handle orfknob 20 is provided on thedoor 15 101' manually operatingthe same.`

Thebottoms or shelves 11 o1" the-com'- partments- 10l areinclined toward the 'outilet openings; lll so that the'balls Will normally laccumulate at fthe' rightH hand endv ot the rack, Ainthe illustration s ho'vvifi,v and upon opening of' the `door-15, `as"jus`t "described, will move by Vgravity' "through Vthe out-let openingli and-drop? .into .a suitable receptacle 21 provided thereto'r. Thisrel ceptacle may ,befprovided With-a handle 22 adapted toengage with a hool or support 2 3 provided onfthe underside of theiack, aswclearlyillustrated. iny Figli, 1. y

In the form shown inf-Figs.y 4: and 5, the righthand end of' the.- rack" is perm anently clos'edfthe flanges 12?, however,`of` the com-V partments l0- being fcut awayat the right hand endofi the-rack 'to form outlet openings 24 for the balls; In this form the front sile'fo'l the rack is provided with a door 25 hinged? atQG soV as-Ato saving forwardly The bottoins or shelves 11 of the compartments 10 are, in this form',"inclined' both laterally and forwardlyso that when the door 25'is swung to open position, the balls will roll by gravity down said shelves and be discharged through thc openings 24. When thus discharged the balls will drop into a receptacle 21 which will be conveniently arranged to receive the same.

'The door 25, as in the case of the door 15, is normally locked in closed position by a bolt 27 which may be retracted to unlock the door through the medium of a coin controlled mechanism 28 mounted upon the front side of said door. The coin may be inserted into the mechanism 28 through a coin slot 29. A suitable handle or knob 30 is provided for manually opening the door when the same is unlocked. The door 25, in this form, is provided with a glass panel through which the balls in the rack may be viewed.

vWith a device of the construction set forth, it will be seen that a pool ball rack is provided from which the pool balls may be removed only upon the deposit of the required coin. In the playing of a game, as the balls are knocked into the pockets of the pool table, the same are removed and placed into they rack. Thus after each game, if it is desired to play another game, it will be necessary to deposit a coin into the com. slot of the rack before the balls may again be secured for the purpose.

lVith'this arrangement the services of attendants in pool rooms may be dispensed with or materially reduced and the time which at present is wasted in waiting for an attendant to arrange the balls for use for succeeding games will be eliininated.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred forms of construction for carrying my invention into effect, these are capable of variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. I therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details of the constructions set forth but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims. f

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In a device of the class described, a

, plurality of superposed compartments .for

the reception of balls, said compartments having forwardly opening outlets for the passage of balls; the bottoms of said compartments being inclined longitudinally of said compartments to direct-the balls toward one end thereof and being forwardly inclined to direct the balls into said outlets; a swingingly mounted door cooperating with all of said compartments for preventing the passage of balls through said openings; coin controlled mechanism for locking said means in operative position; and a receptacle for the reception of the balls in passing from said compartments upon the opening of said door.

2. In a device of the class described, a plurality of superposed compartments for the reception of balls, said compartments having forwardly opening outlets for the passage of balls, the bottoms of said compartments being inclined longitudinally of said compartments to direct the balls toward one end thereof and being forwardly inclined to direct the balls into said outlets; means for preventing the passage of balls through said outlets; and coin controlled mechanism for locking said means in operative position.

3. In a device of the class described, a plurality of superposed compartments for the reception of balls, said compartments having forwardly opening discharge openings, the bottoms of said compartments being laterally and forwardly inclined to direct the balls arranged in said compartments toward said discharge openings; and means for preventing the discharge of balls tiirough said discharge openings.

4C. In a device of the class described, a plurality of superposed compartments for the reception of balls, said compartments having forwardly opening discharge openings, the bottoms of said compartments being laterally and forwardly inclined to direct the balls arranged in said compartments toward said discharge openings; means for preventing the discharge of balls through said discharge openings; and coin controlled mechanism for locking said means in operative position.

5. In combination, a pool ball rack comprising a plurality of shelves for the reception of balls, each shelf being provided with an inlet opening'and an outlet opening and having the floor thereof forwardly and longitudinally inclined from the inlet to the outlet openings, a door normally locked closed for closing over the front of the rack, said door obstructing the outlet opening of each shelf to prevent immediate discharge of the balls upon reaching this opening, and coin controlled means on said door for releasing said door upon the deposit of a coin therein.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

DAVID FREIE/IAN. 

